Werner L. Polak

Born: May 19, 1936 Died: February 4, 2026 Werner Ludwig Polak passed away peacefully on February 4, 2026 with his loved ones by his side. Werner was born in Bremen, Germany in 1936 and came to the United States as a boy during World War II. His family settled in Woodstock, NY, where he grew up and went to school. After graduating from Kingston High School, he enrolled in the U.S. Army. He was both grateful and proud of his service to his country and enjoyed lifelong relationships with his many Army buddies. Werner took part in the G.I Bill during his service, which gave him the opportunity to earn both his undergraduate and Law Degree at Columbia University. After graduating law school, he joined Shearman & Sterling law firm where he worked through retirement. The firm was not only his place of work, but also became both family and friends, and he often shared treasured stories of his experiences with his beloved colleagues. He spent 39 years, initially in the corporate department, but for the most part in the litigation department. Early on, he developed an interest in training younger lawyers at the firm and participated in a number of national legal education organizations. Linde was a client of the firm, and Werner had worked on a number of projects for Linde. Just before his retirement from the firm, he was asked whether he would join Linde as in-house counsel to represent Linde’s U.S. subsidiaries, to which he agreed. Werner was able to continue to practice law, which he so enjoyed. Werner's interest in training continued and he enjoy mentoring the younger attorneys as well as business managers, not only in legal related matters, but also in the legacy culture, which in his words 'has a tendency to disappear in the background after a corporation undergoes numerous acquisitions and mergers, but which should not be forgotten.' Later in his career he served on the board and as Chair of the Practicing Law Institute (PLI), where he continued to develop additional friendships. He also served on the Board of Osborn Senior Living in Rye, NY, where he guided strategy. Werner was passionate about volunteering, the law and his many hobbies. He was deeply principled, striving to make the world a better place through mentoring and volunteering for anyone who asked. Werner generously and humbly shared his guidance and support with many friends, family, colleagues and their children. Skiing was a top passion of Werner’s, and he enjoyed this love over many years with family and friends. While he always appreciated going to many different ski resorts, perhaps his favorite was Steamboat Springs, CO. The mountain there is named Mt. Werner, and no doubt he joked to friends and family there was a close affiliation. Another top passion was sports, cheering passionately for his Columbia Lions. He always started college basketball season by assuring his son, a Duke alumni, that this was the year the two schools would make the Final Four. He was an avid Green Bay Packers fan and regularly travelled to Lambeau Field for games. His late brother Gunther lived in Chicago and a favorite family memory was of Opening Day one year at Soldier Field where the two brothers wore their respective colors and cheered on their teams. Green Bay won that contest, but that did not matter to Werner. What mattered most to him was that the family was all together. That was the biggest win of all. Werner is survived by so many loved ones, family and friends, including his family Deborah, Douglas, Jack Werner, Karen, Evelyn, Michael, Evan, Aileen. Werner’s family looks forward to celebrating an incredible life, hearing your stories and sharing ours. In lieu of flowers, Werner would have appreciated just a simple act of kindness to others. If you have a charity of choice, please consider donating. But if you feel inspired, The Osborn would be appreciated. https://www.theosborn.org/. If you are in the Town of Woodstock NY, Werner has a brick with his name at the main entrance of the Woodstock Library. The library is consistent with all the core beliefs Werner held. https://www.woodstock.org/

Werner L. Polak

May 19, 1936 - February 4, 2026